Device and method for handling containers

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a device in the handling of containers, by means of which device ( 30 ) at least two containers ( 10 ) are handled. The device ( 30 ) comprises a frame ( 10 ), to whose guides ( 11 ) end pieces ( 12 ) have been movably attached, which end pieces ( 12 ) comprise attachment members ( 31, 32 ) for attaching the device ( 30 ) to the corner fittings of the lowermost container(s) ( 20 ) of the containers ( 20 ) placed on top of one another. The invention also relates to a method in the handling of containers, in which method at least two containers ( 20 ) are handled by means of a container transfer device, which container transfer device comprises a gripping member or equivalent. In the method, at least two containers ( 20 ) placed on top of one another are handled. In the method for handling containers ( 20 ), a device ( 30 ) is attached to the gripping member ( 50 ) of the container transfer device, which device ( 30 ) is placed on the containers ( 20 ), placed on top of one another, and attached to corner fittings ( 21, 22 ) of the containers ( 20 ) such that attachment members ( 31, 32 ) situated on end pieces ( 12 ) fixed to guides ( 11 ) of a frame ( 10 ) of the device ( 30 ) are arranged to be attached to the apertures in the corner fittings ( 21, 22 ) of the container ( 20 ).

The invention relates to a device according to the preamble of claim 1.

The invention also relates to a method according to the preamble ofclaim 10.

As known in the art there exist standards relating to the size andstructures of containers. ISO standard 668: 1988/1:1993 specifies thelocation of the corner fitting apertures of the container with respectto one another, and the dimensions of the containers. ISO standard 1161specifies the shape of the corner fitting apertures of the container,and the permissible mode of handling the container is specified in thestandard SFS-ISO 3874.

As known in the art, empty containers generally weigh below 5000 kg. Thestandardized container lengths are 10, 20, 30 and 40 feet. The 40 footlong containers have a height of either 8½ feet or 9½ feet and the 20foot long containers have a height of 8½ feet. The prior-art containermoving devices, for example, straddle carriers, usually comprise lengthadjustment, so that the handling length can generally be adjusted to be20, 30 or 40 feet. Applications are also known in which the handlinglength can be adjusted to be 35 feet. Containers are handled as emptyand as full.

With respect to the prior art, reference may be made, for example, toU.S. Pat. Nos. 3,863,970, 5,280,980 and 6,145,903. In these prior-artarrangements, which mainly relate to the handling of full 20 footcontainers, two containers are placed longitudinally one after the otherin the handling equipment. Such devices are generally massive becausefull containers weigh as much as 40 tonnes. In addition, handling isproblematic because the structure with its containers becomes ratherlong, and therefore they also have not been suitable for the handling oflonger 40 foot containers.

As known in the art, empty containers are stored in ports such thatseveral containers are placed one upon the other. Containers are handledby means of transfer and transport devices, for example, straddlecarriers, the gripping member of which grips the container from aboveone container at a time, so that the container can be transferred to adesired location.

An object of the invention is to create a device and a method forhandling of containers in order to handle several containerssimultaneously by a container transfer device.

One object of the invention is to provide a device for use in connectionwith a container transfer device, for example, a straddle carrier, and amethod in which the auxiliary device is used.

With a view to achieving the objects described above as well as thosecoming out later, the device according to the invention is mainlycharacterized in what is stated in the characterizing part of claim 1.

The method according to the invention is in turn mainly characterized inwhat is stated in the characterizing part of claim 10.

The invention can be applied in connection with the handling ofcontainers that comply in respect of their height with the standards inforce such that the location of the corner fittings is known. Oneexemplifying embodiment of the invention is suitable for handlingcontainers that comply with the standard in respect of their length, butanother exemplifying embodiment of the invention is suitable for usealso in connection with containers the length of which does not complywith the standard.

One requirement of the method and the device in accordance with theinvention is that the containers placed one upon the other and handledat the same time by the device and in the method shall be of equallength. Height does not impose any limitations.

The device used in connection with the invention is a lifting devicewhich is attached to a length-adjustable gripping member of a containertransfer device, for example, a straddle carrier and which enables twoor more containers to be lifted and transported.

In accordance with the invention, the device comprises members which areattached to the apertures of the container corner fittings and whichattachment members have been placed on the end pieces of the devicewhich have been connected to each other by means of longitudinal framestructures. The frame structure of the device can be fixed ortelescopic, so that its length can be adjusted.

In accordance with the invention, the device comprises attachmentmembers placed on the end pieces of the device such that thoseattachment members which are not needed in lifting containers of acertain height, i.e which are not in use, have been placed such thatthey retract inside, for example, by applying spring loading, by meansof a gas pump or an electric device, so that they will not impede thegripping of the attachment members in use.

In accordance with the invention, the end pieces have been connected toeach other such that each end piece engages the corner fittings of thelowermost container(s) and, even though the containers stacked on eachother would be misaligned, the attachment members find their way totheir positions in the corner fitting apertures. Because of thisadvantageous additional feature, the arrangement in accordance with theinvention takes into account the usual small inaccuracy in stackingbecause, in practice, containers are never exactly one upon the other.The device in accordance with the invention centers itself such that itgrips both or a plurality of stacked containers. The centering can becarried out by means of an actuator, springs, pumps and equivalent.

In accordance with an advantageous feature of the invention, the driverof the container transfer device, for example, a straddle carrier, issupplied with information about pins positioned in place, for example,by means of flaps, signal lights or equivalent signaling means known inthemselves.

The invention is particularly well suited to the handling of emptycontainers weighing less than 5000 kg, but full/heavier containers canalso be handled by means of it. The invention is particularly wellsuited to the handling of containers of standard length, in particular20 and 40 foot containers.

In accordance with one advantageous additional feature of the invention,when it is desirable to handle containers of non-standard length, it ispossible to use the device of the invention that, in accordance with anadvantageous additional feature, has been provided with telescopic orslide beams, whereby the length of the device can be adjusted.

In the following, the invention will be described in greater detail withreference to the figures in the appended drawing, but the invention isnot meant by any means to be narrowly limited to the details of them.

FIGS. 1A-1C schematically show the different stages of the operation ofthe device in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 shows a modification of the invention when lifting four 20 footcontainers at a time.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an application of the invention whenlifting three containers one upon the other.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of an application of the invention asprovided with telescopic or slide beams.

As shown in FIGS. 1A-4, the device in accordance with the inventioncomprises a frame 10 and end frameworks 12 moving on guides 11 of theframe 10. The end frameworks 12 are provided with attachment members 31,32, for example, pins. The frame 10 is horizontal and the end pieces,i.e. the end frameworks 12, are substantially vertical. When needed, theend framework is provided with a diagonal support 13 to support thestructure. The attachment members 31 and 32 are placed on vertical framestructures 15 and 16 of the end framework 12. In FIGS. 1-4, thecontainer is designated by the reference numeral 20, top corner fittingsof the container 20 are designated by the reference numeral 21 and itsbottom corner fittings are designated by the reference numeral 22. Thetop corner fittings 21 have apertures in the upper surface and in theend surface. The bottom corner fittings 22 have apertures in the lowersurface and in the end surface. In addition, the corner fittings 21, 22of the containers 20 usually also have apertures in the side surfaces.Two containers 20 placed one upon the other are handled in the schematicillustration of the different stages of the operation of the device inaccordance with the invention shown in FIGS. 1A-1C.

FIG. 1A shows guide pins 34 for both a 40 foot container, 34 ₄₀, and a20 foot container, 34 ₂₀. The guide pins 34 ₂₀ for the 20 foot containerhave been omitted from the other figures for the sake of clarity. Theguide pins 34 ₂₀ for the 20 foot container are, for example, movable, sothat they do not impede the handling of the 40 foot container. FIG. 1Aalso shows a gripping member 50 of a container transfer device forengaging attachment points 33 ₂₀, 33 ₄₀ of the device 30, in accordancewith the invention depending on the length of the container to behandled. The gripping member 50 has been omitted from the other figuresfor the sake of clarity. In the following description, only thereference numeral 34 is used of the guide pins for the sake of clarity.

In the situation shown in FIG. 1A, the containers 20 are in a stack ontop of each other and the device in accordance with the invention hasbeen moved above the containers 20. In this situation, in accordancewith the invention, the gripping member 50 of the container transferdevice (not shown), for example, a straddle carrier, has engaged bymeans of its twist lock pins the attachment points 33 ₂₀ or 33 ₄₀ of thedevice 30 in accordance with the invention. When 20 foot long containers20 are handled, the attachment points 33 ₂₀ are engaged, and when 40foot containers are handled, the attachment points 33 ₄₀ are engaged.

As shown in FIG. 1A, the lifting device 30 is moved above the containers20 to be transferred and the guide pins 34 provided on the frame 10 arelowered into the apertures in the upper surface of the top cornerfittings 21 of the upper container 20 (FIG. 1B). The guide pins provided34 on the frame 10 are lowered into the upper apertures of the topcorner fittings 21 of the upper container 20, whereby the device ispositioned in a correct position with respect to the containers 20. Thelength of the gripping member of the straddle carrier is adjusted so asto be of correct length and the end frameworks 12 are pressed againstthe end walls of the containers 20 (FIG. 1C). The attachment members,for example, spindle pins, situated on the end frameworks 12 areinserted in through the end apertures of the top corner fittings 21 ofthe lower container 20, after which the lifting device 30 can be liftedupwards and both containers 20 can be transported simultaneously. In theexemplifying embodiment shown in FIGS. 1A-1C, two 40 foot longcontainers placed one on top the other are handled, and the containers20 are 8½ feet high, so that the lower attachment members 32 of the endframeworks 12 retract inside, while the upper attachment members 31 arepositioned in the apertures in the end walls of the top corner fittingsof the lower container 20, as shown in FIG. 1C. Detachment of thecontainers 20 takes place after they have been lowered to the groundsuch that the length of the gripping members of the straddle carrier isadjusted to be longer and the lifting device 30 is lifted away from topof the containers 20. The lifting device 30 attached to the containertransfer device is moved onto containers 20 which are to betransferred/lifted.

The length of the gripping member of the container transfer device isshortened from 35 feet to 30 feet, so that the spindle pins 31 on theend pieces 12 are inserted in through the end apertures of the topcorner fittings 21 of the lower container 20. If the lower container 20is not quite exactly aligned with the upper container 20, a spindle beam17 moves in a lateral direction and guide members 37 (FIG. 5) leaningagainst the side surfaces of the corner fittings 21 align the spindlepins 31 with the apertures.

In FIGS. 1A-1C, the upper container 20 is 8½ feet high, so the lowerspindle pin 32 is pressed against the corner post of the lower container20, yielding as spring-loaded. Similarly, if the upper container 20 is9½ feet high, the upper “unnecessary” spindle pin yields in acorresponding manner.

If the containers to be lifted are 20 feet long, the pins on the frameat the 20 foot container 20 are lowered into the apertures of the topcorner fittings 21. After that, the operation is continued as describedabove.

As shown in the figures, in accordance with the invention, in the lowerpart of the end frameworks 12 there are attachment members 31, 32, forexample, spindle pins at two different levels, thus enabling thehandling of both 8½ foot and 9½ foot high containers 20. Theseattachment members 31, 32 include guides 34 and a mechanism 37 whichenables handling of the container 20 although they would not be quiteexactly on top of each other.

As shown in the application of FIG. 2, in accordance with the inventionit is possible to lift and move, for example, four 20 foot longcontainers 20 at the same time if the lifting height of the liftingmachine, for example, a straddle carrier, is sufficiently great. In thatcase, the end piece 12 engages the bottom corner fittings 22 of thelower containers 20.

The frame 10 of the device 30 in accordance with the invention isprovided with guides and it is a framework that is, for example, about12 m long and 2.5 m wide, and it incorporates the guide pins 34 neededfor the alignment of the invention, as well as the end pieces 12 movingon its guides 11. As shown in FIG. 4, the frame 10 can be alternativelyreplaced with a telescopic profile, in which case the alignment spindles34 are situated on the end pieces 12. The end piece 12 is composed ofhorizontal beams 15 moving on the guides 11 of the frame 10, supportbeams 13 between them, attachment points 33 ₂₀, 33 ₄₀ for the twist lockpins of the container transfer device, vertical beams 16 and spindlebeams 17, 18 on which the spindle pins 31, 32 are located.

As shown in FIG. 3, the invention is also suitable for use when liftingthree containers 20 placed on top of one another. In that case, the endpieces 12 are placed such that the attachment members, i.e. the spindlepins 32, of the end pieces 12 are placed in the bottom corner fittings22 of the lowermost container 20.

Above, the invention has been described with reference to some of itsadvantageous exemplifying embodiments only, but the invention is notmeant by any means to be narrowly limited to the details of them.

1. A device in the handling of containers, by means of which device (30)at least two containers (10) are handled, which device (30) comprises aframe (10), to whose guides (11) end pieces (12) have been movablyattached, which end pieces (12) comprise attachment members (31, 32) forattaching the device (30) to the corner fittings of the lowermostcontainer(s) (20) of the containers (20) placed on top of one another,wherein guide pins (34) used for aligning the device (30) have beenfixed to the end pieces (12) moving on the guides of the frame (10),which guide pins have been arranged to be placed into the apertures inthe upper surface of the top corner fittings of the uppermostcontainer(s) of the containers (20) placed on top of one another, andthat the device (30) is a lifting device attached to a length-adjustablegripping member of a container transfer device by its twist lock pins.2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device (30) comprisesattachment members (31, 32) which are attached to the apertures of thecorner fittings of the container (20) and which attachment members(31,32) have been placed on the end pieces of the device (30) which havebeen connected to each other with longitudinal frame structures (10,11).
 3. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the frame (10) of thedevice (30) is a framework provided with guides (11).
 4. A device asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the end pieces (12) of the device (30)comprise horizontal beams (15) movable on the guides (11) of the frame(10), support beams (13) and attachment points (33 ₂₀, 33 ₄₀) for twistlock pins of a container transfer device, and vertical beams (16) andbeams (17, 18) to which the attachment members (31, 32) have been fixed.5. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the attachment members (31,32) are flexible such that the attachment members which are not in useretract inside.
 6. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the guides(11) of the frame (10) are telescopic frames, so that the length of theframe can be adjusted.
 7. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein theframe (10) of the device is fixed.
 8. A device as claimed in claim 1,wherein the device (10) comprises guide pins (34) which have beenarranged to be positioned in the apertures of the upper surface of thetop corner fittings of the uppermost container, and a guide member (37)disposed in connection with the end piece to centre the device in place.9. A method in the handling of containers, in which method at least twocontainers (20) are handled by means of a container transfer device,which container transfer device comprises a gripping member orequivalent, in which method at least two containers (20) placed on topof one another are handled and in which method for handling containers(20) a device (30) is used which is placed on the containers (20),placed on top of one another, and attached to corner fittings (21, 22)of the containers (20) such that attachment members (31, 32) situated onend pieces (12) fixed to guides (11) of a frame (10) of the device (30)are arranged to be attached to the apertures in the corner fittings (21,22) of the container (20), wherein in the method, the device (30) isaligned in place by means of guide pins (34) placed on the end pieces(12) moving on the guides (11) of the frame (10), which guide pins (34)are placed in the apertures of the upper surface of the top cornerfittings (21) of the uppermost container (20), and that the device (30)used in the method is a lifting device attached to a length adjustablegripping member of the container transfer device by its twist lock pins.10. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein in the method, the device isfurther aligned in place by means of guide members (37) fixed to the endpieces (12).